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Posted:6th Apr 2001When you guy get to gether to spin fire, do you go through any rituals, or ceremonial type things. Do you breath fire first to make offerings to the fire Gods or something. Or do you just meet somewhere, prep you POI and start going at it?I guess im just wondering if there is a separation between "traditionalists" and others that dont worry about POI or fire twirling history, you know, Pyros.Ive never seen anyone do fire, so im just wondering. I always visualized it like this:Sort of reflective of American indians and the way they celebrate.Big bon-fire. Everyone sitting around it. You got a person beating on a drum. Someone has this shrine-type thing that gets lit as an offering to the fire Gods to make you movements fluid and true, the most senior twirler, makes some chants. or does everyone just show up in someones back yard, and go "ok Billy, lit her up' yeeehaw..just curious. I like the traditional angle myself.Super'------------------"Only the warrior that hears the call will know when to leave, Where to go" -unknown

Posted:6th Apr 2001We've got a weekly gathering (Thursdays--tonight!) here in Austin, held at a taco shack with big empty lot they let us use. It's pretty casual. We meet, have a bite, repair to the empty lot, and warm up for a while, chat, get our gear ready. Someone will usually have a boombox, or failing that, someone will back up his car, open the doors, and start the car's stereo going. After a while--30 minutes, maybe more--someone will decide it's time to light up, he/she will recruit a towel person, find a lighter, and go. So far we haven't had two people doing fire at once (that I've seen). Never had a fire-breather, although one of the regulars is a fire-eater, and she'll do that.So it's pretty low-key, and I like that. Sometimes a drummer hears about this, and shows up with his gear, and that's fun. Although it's in a fairly public location, we really don't get many spectators.

Posted:6th Apr 2001Wouldn't know for the casual gathering, though I'll be able to tell you after the spin fest. When we (Pryomorph) just get together to rehearse or play we prep gear, light up and watch each other with blanket in hand. That's about it. Sometimes when we have a picnic/party we light up from a bonfire or a grill that just got going. No pomp and circumstance, just fun.Because of the health risks and reprocussions behind fire breathing, it is usually saved for special occassions (such as the weddings we will be attending soon).Before every show/faire we all stretch alot by way of yoga, tai chi, etc. We don't talk or listen to music or anything during this time. This is our grounding, centering, gotta make sure our shit is in order time, ya know? Then we take one of our candle towers, each one of us lights a candle on it and says a little "good show, no human torch act" prayer to whatever is out there, we blow them out together, head for the stage or call area telling jokes to release tension and we're on. It's our way of pushing any differences we have aside for the duration of the show, checking them at the door so to speak, and get fully into our characters....Sounds silly doesn't it? Non-Https Image Link------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted:6th Apr 2001When we used to do fire gatherings here, there were a couple of people who insisted on creating a sacred consecrated circle and making offerings to the fire goddess and the earth mother and all that.It kept getting longer and more complicated and finally there came a showdown between these Wicca/White Native American people and those of us who thought it was just silly and a bit stupid. Eventually the religious trapping people got offended and formed their own little group which soon broke apart because (I think) they were doing it trying to curry Godly favors or something and not because they loved it, like us others did. Anyway, that's what happened with that little experiment on this front.I have a religious experience every time I light up and to me the sacred circles and spells and offerings and rituals are merely trappings that smack of organized religion, something I don't care for personally, even though I'm a deeply religious person and about as pagan as you can get.But to each his or her own. As long as its fun, why not?Skye

Posted:6th Apr 2001thats cool...thats exactly waht i was wanting to know..There is a small group here in Houston that gets to gether on Sat nights, but i havet had a chance to touch base with them, so i can come and watch and get the experience.i need to make time.------------------"Only the warrior that hears the call will know when to leave, Where to go" -unknown

Posted:7th Apr 2001Hey guys, Non-Https Image Link We have a little class at the elementary school every Thursday night. We streach alot(10-15 min) by using Yoga and tai chi. pretending your bones in your arms are steel, and the muscles silk. you wrap the silk around the steel in difrent hand/wrist movements, streaching the muscles and working your wrists. It is a good thing to streach before spinning! We also do sholder roles after our short yoga rutein. Before spinning Fire, I go through some moves I'm going to do in the show, but for the most part, I let it all go and go with the flow! Non-Https Image Link ------------------FIRE IS ALIVE! IT LIVES AND BREATHS! IT CONSUMES, AND DISTROYS! BUT WE CONTROL IT, AND DANCE WITH FIRE!!

FIRE IS ALIVE! IT LIVES AND BREATHS! IT CONSUMES, AND DISTROYS! BUT WE CONTROL IT, AND DANCE WITH FIRE!!

Posted:7th Apr 2001tee hee, skye. the problem is that it's a fire GOD. (fire being the whole masculine side of things.) oh, well! Non-Https Image Linkwhen we get together here, it's always for a whole weekend, cause my friends have to drive three hours to get here, and there's no place to spin in boston. we spend friday night hanging out, we usually practice saturday during the day un-lit, and at night we build a camp-fire and away we go. the other spinners are agnostics and atheists, so my little ritual stays in my head. i always start spinning to the south and invite the salamanders to play with me, and i remember that fire is a thing for respecting. i also invite the other quarters, asking the slyphs to be respectful of my safety and not get playful with the flames, asking the ondines to help me be safe and keep a protective eye over the flames, and inviting the gnomes to protect our home and land (though spinning in 3 feet of snow tends to make that job easy for them!). it doesn't take very long, and it fits nicely into some basic opening warm-up turns. i have no idea how we'll handle things at east coast. maybe it's something we should talk about over lunch, since i guarantee that everyone will have varying expectations. Non-Https Image Link

Posted:7th Apr 2001I know exactly what you mean, ykaterina. I envoke little prayers in my head before I start to the four directions as well.What are slyphs and ondines? I used to have a girlfriend who was into all that stuff but I don't remember anymore.I feel for your Boston friends. It's weird. It's like the opposite here. In the city is just about the only place you can light up here. Half the damn state caught on fire last year and probably the other half will this summer. It's a big charred wasteland now where once were gnome-filled forests. Sniffle.Skye

Posted:7th Apr 2001dont worry too much about the forests...they come back after fire eventually, usually with quite nice habitat which is really good for animals and plants...just takes a few yearsfire natural part of ecosystem etc etc. its just us keeping it out that makes for the really big burns...complicated topic for later!Pere

Posted:7th Apr 2001I hear that you guys! I was in Bozman Montana for a year or two and it is hard to spin for fear that you may distroy thousands of achers! Non-Https Image Link But I bet you could make some money in boston spinning in the street. Watch out for Crazy Boston Drivers!! Non-Https Image Linkykaterina, I am comming home to Franconia, New Hampshire at the end of May! I was wondring if you would like to come up and spinn with us. Other than me and my sister there will be about 4-5 of us getting together. it would be fun, there is a beach in the mountains that we can all spinn at. (Cannon Mt. Franconia Notch State Park) its right off of RT 93, and I am going to buy a camera for the continental relay. We would love for you to come up for a day or two Non-Https Image Link talk to you later. skichristian

FIRE IS ALIVE! IT LIVES AND BREATHS! IT CONSUMES, AND DISTROYS! BUT WE CONTROL IT, AND DANCE WITH FIRE!!

Posted:12th Apr 2001skye - slyphs are the air elementals and ondines are the water. (salamanders fire and gnomes earth). Non-Https Image Link when you live so attached to land, their pull is very strong, and it's cool. in cities and stuff, it's easy to forget them in all the noise. speaking of idaho - one of my best friends here is from idaho, but now i have to remember where from...he also does the fire thing, but he learned here. sometimes he goes back to visit his family; i should get you guys in touch to chatter! i heard you guys are having a really tough drought this year... Non-Https Image Linkchristian - woohoo! that would be wonderful! let's email for details, yes? maybe some of the boston crowd would like to come too, hm, pere? xestrel-the-lurker?

Posted:12th Apr 2001dont think xestrel the lurker reads this regularly...already mentioned somewhere else a planned trip to Franconia notch by me sometime in May/june for bicknell's thrush...more of a dedicated bird trip for me and i will probably talk xest into it because he wants a boreal chickadee and spruce grouse trip since we failed at it this winter (if he doesnt spend all his money this week) but hey some twirling could be done in the evening Non-Https Image Link after we're wiped out from hiking up to the top of the mountain at 5am!anyway thats my thoughts on that...Peregrine